Even The Best Laid Plans often go awry
Date 11/18/2004 12:00 AM | Topic: Arts & CultureNot everyone has had the opportunity to experience an evening of phenomenal music from nine different operas.
The fall semester opera scenes students will present The Best Laid Plans in the Noble Recital Hall Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 20 at 4 p.m.
The program is based on a poem by Robert Burns and consists of 12 scenes from nine different operas. These operas range from the 17th to 20th century and include Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and Leonard Berstein's Candide.
The program will be performed by 25 students who were enrolled in the Opera Scenes music course this semester.
These 25 individuals are sophomores through seniors whose majors are primarily music.
Consent from the students' private voice lesson professors is required for this course.
Andrew Whitfield, adjunct faculty of music, is the instructor of the class and director of the performances.
This year was his first time teaching opera scenes.
"I've enjoyed being able to work with a group of very talented people at all levels of experience," Whitfield said. "Some students have taken the class two or three times and for others it is their first time. This class has given me the opportunity to individually help students discover their character and begin to develop how they ideally want to perform on stage."
The curriculum of the class is laid out in a way in which students study the full aspects of an opera production.
The first two weeks are dedicated to learning different techniques that require singing and acting at the same time.
"After the performance I plan to talk to students about various careers and programs where they would be able to use the knowledge they learned in the class toward their futures as singers," said Whitfield.
Andrew Wannigman ('07) commented on the class and the upcoming performances.
"The class consists of a group of students interested in performing for the rest of their lives," he said. "We have all gotten a better sense of the opera scene by getting to play and experience several roles in different operas."
Wannigman mentioned that the director tried to make the performance more modern this year.
"This should appeal more to the students, so we are hoping for a good turn out," he said.
According to Whitfield, the students are really excited for the final performances.
"They are definitely looking forward to this," he said. "We are happy to invite everyone to the performance."
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Michelle Jebsen
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